Chicken, fish alternatives to be developed in UAE as part of $15m challenge

Abu Dhabi: A four-year international competition driven forward by Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) will see teams compete to develop chicken and fish alternatives.

The ATRC’s Aspire technology management division has partnered with the United States’ non-profit organisation, XPrize, to revolutionise the global food supply chain through its $15 million (Dh55.09 million) challenge. Entitled ‘XPrize Feed the Nect Billion’, the contest will challenge teams of global innovators to develop alternatives that ensure the world’s growing population has access to nutritious, quality food.

The contest is funded by Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi’s accelerator programme.

“Billions of individuals do and will desire higher quality protein as a food source, but the earth is incapable of providing this with traditional livestock. A much more sustainable, scalable methodology is required. [This challenge] seeks to create poultry and fish that is affordable, sustainable, more nutritious, and a lower cost than mechanisms now in place. We believe hundreds of entrepreneurs will focus on driving breakthroughs in this critical and important area to help feed the world,” XPrize founder, Dr Peter H. Diamandis.

The competition is also supported by The Tony Robbins Foundation, an American non-profit organisation which helps provide millions of meals globally each year, and awards grants and other resources to health and human services organisations. The Good Food Institute, an international non-profit focused on meat and plant-based alternatives, will also act as a team success partner throughout the competition.

Registrations have already kicked off, and will continue until April 28, 2021. Grand Prize Winners will be announced in 2024.